Super moon boosts tidal bore on Petitcodiac

Some of the biggest waves of the year expected today in Moncton

The moon over Caraquet at about 9 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10 (Submitted by Peter Ellis)

Last night's super moon was the second of three this summer and it has led to what some are calling a super tidal bore.

When Zai Nautbur moved to Moncton from Ottawa, everyone told her about the tidal bore.

"I thought it was going to be a really big deal and then I saw it and it wasn't. So I was a little bit surprised that, you know, it got talked up so much," she said.

But if you saw the tidal bore yesterday or catch it today, it's a little bit more impressive than usual.

Viktor Khalack teaches astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Moncton.

He says super moon is a layman's term that describes a full moon while it is at its closest point to the earth in its orbit. This makes the moon appear bigger and brighter.

Khalack says it can also have an impact on the tides and the size of the tidal bore.

The supermoon's influence on the tide isn't as big here as elsewhere in the world. But Khalack said it would make for a bigger bore than usual.

"The tide will be quite high. Take into account the moon will be quite close," he said.

The surging Bay of Fundy tides, cause the water level in the Petitcodiac River to change dramatically twice a day. The incoming tide rolls upstream in a wave ranging in height from three centimetres to 60 cm. The water level rises by as much as 7.5 metres in the span of about an hour.

In recent years, the "super bore" has attracted surfers from around the world.

Nautbur, for her part, was looking forward to seeing it.

"If the moon could hang around more often as a full moon, that would be great," she said.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the tidal bore will arrive in Moncton today at 10:50 a.m. and 11:13 p.m.